Keyholder



Feb. 6, 1968 c. B. wooFTER 3,367,157

KEYHOLDER Filed sept. a, 1966 United States Patent O 3,367,157 KEYHOLDER Cecil B. Woofter, Newton, Iowa, assiguor to The Vernon Company, Newton, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 530,038, Feb. 25, 1966. This application Sept. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 578,265

1 Claim. (Cl. 70-459) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A keyholding device on which a plurality of keys may easily be mounted and temporarily secured.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application filed Feb. 25, 1966, bearing Ser. No. 530,038.

This nvention relates to a keyholder.

There are numerous keyholding devices in the prior art which require the use of snaps or other locking devices for retaining the keys after they are mounted on the device. The devices, however, are primarily unsatisfactory because they do not have the desired simplicity for such a device.

It is an object of the present nvention, therefore, to provide a keyholder which securely retains keys once they are mounted by a device which is simple in construction and operation.

It is another object of this nvention to provide a keyholder including a locking feature for preventing keys mounted thereon from workin g loose during normal usage.

For a better understanding of the nvention together with further objects thereof, reference should now be made to the following detailed description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a keyholder constructed in accordance with the present nvention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded side elevation view of the keyholder shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional side elevation view taken along line 3-3 of the keyholder shown in FIG- URE l, as assembled;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation view of a modified keyholder shown in a position commencing the key mounting operation;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation view of the keyholder shown in FIGURE 4 shown in the locked position;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a second modified keyholder; and

FIGURE 7 is a plan sectional view of the second modified keyholder shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown one embodiment of a keyholder 10 comprising a wire element 12 and a centerbody 14. A key 16 is shown mounted on keyholder 10. The wire element 12 is shaped to form a ring or substantially circular portion 18 and an offset or keyholding portion 20. The ring 18 is split to provide a permanent gap 22 in one arcuate portion thereof.

The centerbody 14, as seen best in FIGURE 2, comprises two clear plastic disks 26 and 28. Disk 26 has a circular ridge 30 formed slightly inwardly from the peripheral edge of the disk. Disk 28 has a circular groove 32 formed at a like distance from the peripheral edge and adapted to receive the ridge 30 so as to form a hub. The outer cylindrical surface 34 of ridge 30 is slightly greater in width than the thickness of wire element 12 and forms a bearing surface on which ring 18 of wire element 12 is rotatably received, as seen in FIGURE 3. Ring 18 has a diameter equal to or slightly less than the diameter of Patented Feb. 6, 1968 cylindrical surface 34 and firmly engages the cylindrical surface 34.

A notch 36 is formed in the peripheral edge portion of centerbody 14 having sufficient depth so that a hole in a key may be freely positioned on the wire element 12.

To secure a key on keyholder 10, the centerbody 14 is rotated so that notch 36 is in partial registry with gap 22 of the wire element ring 18 as seen in FIGURE 4. The hole of the key is placed over the end of the ring 18 and centerbody 14 is rotated relative to the wire element 12 until the key may be slid onto the offset or keyholding portion 20 as seen in FIGURE 1. To remove a key, this operation is simply reversed.

It may be seen from FIGURE 1 that the width of wire element ring gap 22 is greater than the width of notch 36 and that gap 22 subsists regardless of the position of wire element ring 18 with respect to centerbody 14.

The space 40 in centerbody 14 when the disks 24 and 26 are assembled may be fiuid tight. An advertising message, printed on a circular plate 42 or on any small object, may be sealed in space 40 during assembly and one of the disks made of clear plastic. Additionally, the space 40 may be filled with a liquid and a small object to enhance the appearance of the keyholder. Furthermore, any printed message will be sealed within centerbody 14 and will thereby be free from dirt, moisture or abrastion which may otherwise tend to deface the printing.

It is to be understood that while a single offset or keyholding portion of the wire element has been shown, the wire element may be shaped so as to include a plurality of individual keyholding portions of various sizes and shapes.

A modified embodiment of keyholder 10 is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The elements of this keyholder are the same in all respects to the keyholder illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 3 except for the addition of an indentation 43 positioned midway between the gap 22a and the keyholding portion 20a which serves as a locking device for rotationally retaining the ring relative to the centerbody 14a. In securing a key on modified keyholder 10a, notch 36a is aligned with gap 22a so that the key is slid onto the end 38a of ring 18a and by rotating centerbody 14a the key is moved onto keyholding portion 20a and the centerbody 14a is further rotated so that indentation 43 snaps into notch 36a, as seen in FIGURE 5, preventing any relative rotation between ring 18a and centerbody 14a. The keys are thus prevented from working loose from the keyholder during normal usage.

Another embodiment of a keyholder is shown in FIG- URES 6 and 7. The keyholder 44 comprises a wire element 46 having a keyholding portion 48 and a gap 50 in a ring portion 52 which is identical to that shown in the prior embodiment and a centerbody 54. The centerbody 54 comprises a cylindrical hub 56 and two rectangularshaped elements 58 and 60 secured near the ends thereof to each end of hub 56. The extending portions of elements 58 and 60 form a box which may contain a measuring tape, knife, or the like. A notch 62 is formed in the elements 58 and 60 and extends inwardly so as to also form an indentation in hub 56.

To mount a key 64 on keyholder 44 gap 50 is aligned with notch 62 so that the key may be positioned on Wire element 46 which is then rotated relative to centerbody 54 until key 64 is positioned on the keyholding portion 48. The Wire element 46 may then be positioned as shown in FIGURE 6 so that indentation 66 will snap into notch 62 to preclude the key from becoming disattached from keyholder 44.

While several embodiments of the present nvention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the nvention in its broader 3 aspects. Accordingly, the aim in the appended claim is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A keyholder comprising a Wire element shaped so as to include a substantially circular portion With a gap therein and a keyholding portion, said circular portion having an indentation formed therein between said gap and said keyholding portion; a center body comprising a solid cylindrical hub and a pair of elements secured to the ends of said hub and overlying the edge of said hub so as to form a groove for receiving said substantially circular portion in bearing relation, said center body having a notch in one edge and being rotatable relative to said Wire element substantially circular portion, said Wire element indentation being selectively engageable with said centerbody notch to prevent relative rotation between said center body and said Wire element substantially circular portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1881 Coombe.

4/ 1905 Wolfermann 70-459 2/1913 Dean 70-459 7/1926 Guthe 70-459 9/1938 Murray 70-459 8/ 1955 Nauman. 9/ 1957 Martinuzzi 70-456 9/1958 Stow 70-456 9/1958 Thull 70-459 1/1966 Spadaro 220-4 X FOREIGN PATENTS 5/ 1962 France. 3/ 1950 Italy. 8/ 1943 Switzerland.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

